The Study
Influence of CReatine Supplementation on mUScle Mass and Strength After Stroke (ICaRUS Stroke Trial): A Randomized Controlled Trial
This study is like a fair test where people were randomly given either creatine or a fake pill. Because it was fair and controlled, it can tell us if creatine really caused changes in the body, like lowering a protein called progranulin. But because only 30 people were in the test, it might have missed small benefits in strength or muscle.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Older people who had a stroke took creatine or a fake pill for one week. Both groups ate extra protein and moved a little every day.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 547 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1The results suggest creatine doesn’t speed up early recovery after stroke, even though it reaches the body and changes some chemicals.
- 2Creatine did not make muscles stronger or bigger in 7 or 90 days.
- 3It lowered a brain-related protein (progranulin) and raised creatinine, but no harm was seen.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Nutrients
Year
2024
Authors
J. Souza, M. F. Minicucci, N. C. Ferreira, B. Polegato, M. P. Okoshi, G. Modolo, Filipe W. Leal-Pereira, B. Phillips, P. Atherton, Kenneth Smith, D. Wilkinson, A. Gordon, S. Tanni, V. E. Costa, M. F. Fernandes, S. Bazan, Leonardo A. M. Zornoff, Sergio A. R. Paiva, R. Bazan, P. Azevedo
Related Content
Claims (6)
Taking creatine helps your muscle cells soak up more water, making them swell a bit—and this swelling tells your body to stop breaking down muscle as much.
Older adults who had a stroke didn’t get stronger or gain more muscle from taking creatine for a week, even if they ate enough protein and started moving early.
Older adults in the hospital for a certain kind of stroke can safely take a specific dose of creatine for a week — it’s generally well-tolerated, though some might get mild stomach issues or temporary changes in a kidney-related blood test.
Older adults getting better after a certain kind of stroke tend to gain strength and move better over three months, whether or not they take creatine — so most of the improvement probably comes from regular rehab and the body healing on its own.
Taking 20 grams of creatine a day for a week after a certain kind of stroke might lower a brain-related protein linked to inflammation in older adults — suggesting it could help with brain healing.
If older adults who've had a certain kind of stroke take 20 grams of creatine every day for a week, their body shows signs that it's absorbing and using the supplement, based on a rise in a related blood marker.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.